Influenza: the evolving landscape with cell-based vaccines

Most existing influenza vaccines use eggs in their manufacturing process and by growing influenza virus in eggs, the virus composition can change and adapt to the egg environment, which is called egg adaptation.

During the past flu season (2017/18) low influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE), particularly against A/H3N2 strain, was reported. Egg adaptation is recognised as one of the causes of low VE. Mammalian cell lines provide an alternative, flexible and robust influenza production platform that may improve vaccine effectiveness by potentially addressing egg adaptation that may lead to producing vaccine viruses that are a closer match to the flu viruses in circulation.